Euthanasia, the intentional act of causing death, can be considered one of the most prevalent problems when dealing with the ethics of patient treatment. People generally categorize euthanasia as either "active" or "passive." Active euthanasia is taking the specific steps necessary to cause the patient's death, and is performed by request of the patient. Passive euthanasia is the hastening of death by withdrawing all means of medical support and allowing the patient's body to naturally die on its own. Currently, the subject of euthanasia lies in the heart of great controversy for all those involved, including the patient, the patient's family members, the physician, and other members of the healthcare team. One must take into account the patient's personal beliefs regarding such a serious matter. The legal ramifications and the patient's financial situation must also be taken into consideration before making the final choice between life and death. .
The legal aspects surrounding physician-assisted suicide have been debated in several court cases. In New Jersey 1975, 21-year-old Karen Quinlan was hospitalized for drug overdose. A portion of her brain was dead due to lack of oxygen and as a result, she was confined to a respirator for life support. Her family lost all hope in means of her recovery and requested that she should be taken off of the respirator, but hospital officials refused. When the matter went to court, the family's argument prevailed over that of the hospital administrators. Therefore, the respirator was subsequently removed. Afterwards, Quinlan began to breathe on her own and passed away ten years later in a nursing home. Unfortunately, the years of bed rest took its toll on Quinlan's body. The once 5 feet 2 inches and 120 pound young woman reduced to a mere 3 feet and she only weighed 70 pounds at the time of her death.
In a 1993 Michigan case, 30-year-old construction worker, Thomas Hyde, suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease, a degenerative neurological condition.
